Thane Tourism - The Lake City

Thane is known as the Lake City and lies in the state of Maharashtra. It covers an approximate area of about 150 sq. km and has a population in excess of 2.4 million. Also known as Shri Sthanak, Thane is located in the north-eastern part of Mumbai.

Situated on the Salsette Island, Thane has an elevation of seven metres above sea level and is surrounded by hills on all sides – mainly the Parsik Hill and the Yeoor Hill.

Going Back In History

Thane has left a significant mark on the pages of Indian history since several centuries. The earliest mention of Thane was made by Ptolemy, the illustrious Greek geographer, who called the place as Chersonesus in his writings during the period from 135 A.D. to 150 A.D.

Sometime between 1321 A.D. and 1324 A.D., the greater traveller Friar Jordanus spoke of Thane being under the rule of a Muslim Governor. Ibn Batuta and Abul Feda referred to Thane as Kukin Tana and spoke of how wonderful a port it was in those ages.

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Finally, when the Portuguese arrived in 1530, they called Thane – Cacabe de Tana. The Marathas took over next and finally Thane went into the hands of the British rule that referred to it as Tana. In 1863, Thane got its first Municipal Council.

Thane is known as the Lake City because of the umpteen lakes found there. There are about 30 lakes scattered across the entire region of this district. Of them all, the Masunda Talao stands out as the most beautiful lake amongst them all. Also referred to locally as Talao Palli, this lake offers a wide variety of activities like boating and water scooters. Meanwhile, the Upvan Lake is yet another beautiful spot nestled between the Yeoor hills on one side and the Neelkanth Heights on the other side.

The Yeoor Hills are also home to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, an exciting site of nature for wildlife and nature enthusiasts. Kashi Mira is another panoramic destination that is close by. The Har Har Gange Fall found in Thane is credited to be India’s largest and biggest artificial waterfall.

The Ambreshwar Temple, also popularly known as the Ambarnath Temple, is an iconic religious site here which has its shrine structured in the Hemandpathi style of architecture.

History lovers and architecture buffs will be delighted in exploring the Bassein Fort (Vasai Fort) and the Jawahar Palace. Adrenaline junkies have activities like rock climbing and trekking up the Naneghat Hills at their disposal. Head to the Kelva Beach if you happen to be the kind of traveller who loves spending lazy evenings by the seashore with their family.

With a predominant Marathi culture, Thane organizes Ganesh Chaturthi, Gokul Ashtami, Durga Puja and a host of other festivals each year. The celebrations that the locals indulge in are worth being a part of.

The climate in Thane closely simulates Mumbai’s climate. With the conditions being majorly humid and tropical for most part of the year, it makes for an inviting weather that attracts tourists almost throughout the year. The summers here are intense, with the temperature soaring to a maximum 40°C. The excellent geographical position of the district, however, prevents the land from getting too scorched. Next up, the monsoons are a pleasurable time to enjoy the many pretty lakes found here that now are filled to their brim because of the abundant rainfall.

Given its proximity to Mumbai, Thane can be easily reached from anywhere in the entire world. By air, the landmark international airport in Mumbai is nothing short of a boon. By train as well, Thane is a major junction wherefrom plenty outstation trains commence and reach from different cities and towns within and outside Maharashtra. If you plan to drive down to Thane, you have the luxury of choosing from one of the any three national highways that cut through this spot.

Thane presently gets its cosmopolitan nature from its neighbour – the metro Mumbai. Thane has historically been home to several domestic and foreign cultures right from the Muslims and Marathas to the Portuguese and the British. With each rule that served their reign, they left behind a part of them here in Thane. Such a diverse amalgamation of culture can be found in very few places and Thane is one of them. Visit this city to get enamoured by the rich cultural history Thane was fortunate to be a part of.